Welcome to Delaware! It's Good Being First! 

Kent County includes Delaware's capital city, Dover. Dover is the second-largest city in Delaware, and is well known for Dover International Speedway and Dover Air Force Base. At The Green in the center of Dover, our colonial delegates were the first to ratify the United States Constitution, making Delaware "The First State."

Central Delaware offers a variety of historical and cultural attractions, beautiful farmland and coastal scenery. Dover offers the unique opportunity to be close to some major metropolitan areas (Philly, Baltimore, D.C. and NYC) and all they have to offer, the wonderful beaches of Delaware and the rural countryside with the Amish buggies meandering along. 

How many states can you live in where you can find the Governor on a treadmill next to you at the YMCA and can carry on a conversation with them as if they were just any other person? It is a place where you can be a "big fish" if you want to be or just swim with the rest of the school. And let us mention again Dover Air Force Base. We are proud to be their home and proud of all the brave men and women who generously serve this great country and the freedom we all enjoy!  

The state's capital city dates back to the late 1600s. Today, along with the richness of history, there is a full range of activities and interests for the whole family. You can find NASCAR, harness racing and the slots at Dover Downs, nationally recognized Museums, and the C-5 Galaxy, the world's largest cargo plane, stationed at Dover Air Force Base.  

Dover features both Colonial and Victorian architecture, with beautifully restored businesses and private residences. The historic Green and Loockerman Street are great places for strolling or shopping. Downtown Dover offers antiques, art, dining and theater.  

Old Dover Days is held annually the first weekend in May. Old Dover Days showcases the colonial history of downtown Dover, capital of "The First State." This unique event truly captures the character and spirit of Delaware. Visitors come to Old Dover Days to enjoy many events such as the annual maypole dancing on The Green, traditional crafts demonstrations, special walking tours and museum tours, delicious food, and costumed reenactments and various musical presentations. A morning parade kicks off the festival.  

Delaware's governor, United States representatives, and other elected officials dress in colonial garb to mix and mingle with the crowds. The setting for this event is centered on Dover's Capital Complex and Colonial historic district, with The Green, Old State House, Legislative Hall, nearby historic State Street, and Loockerman Street.

Museums, schools and civic organizations throughout the area participate with special tours, food festivals, craft faire, music, entertainment and more. It is a very nice family event that has something for all ages. Old Dover Days is an award-winning event that was featured in Southern Living magazine in 1999. It is an absolute must for the first weekend in May! 

Dover Downs International Speedway, the "Monster Mile," hosts two NASCAR race weekends each year. Usually scheduled the first weekend in June and the fourth weekend in September, race weekends in Dover encompass qualifying laps on Friday, a Busch Grand National series race on Saturday, and Winston Cup series race on Sunday.
NASCAR racing is one of the fastest-growing spectator sports in the United States. Beginning the week before the race dozens and dozens of diehard racing fans start to converge on Dover in their campers and line the fields behind the racetrack. It becomes quite a festival atmosphere. The culmination of this migration amounts to over 140,000 fans cheering their favorite drivers at Dover Downs during the Sunday Winston Cup feature race. It is quite an event!
In addition to the race events the Dover Downs Convention Center hosts nationally recognized entertainment acts such as Bill Cosby, Tom Jones, Wayne Newton and Johnny Mathis, to name a few. There are 232 luxurious rooms and suites including 28 deluxe rooms. They also cater to gaming, business, leisure and group travelers. 

The Center offers several fine dining options. Next door you can find Dover Downs Slots, which has 2,000 of the most popular slot machines.
Another favorite spot in Dover is Spence's Bizarre. Here you will find a giant flea market that is open on Tuesdays and Fridays. There is everything here from used and antique items and furniture to new things. There is also an auction. In the summer there are many booths with fresh vegetables and fruits. Do not miss the Amish foods to include meats and great baked goods! 

Dover's central location in Delaware makes Kent County convenient for business and leisure travel. Wilmington and the Brandywine Valley attractions are only one hour's drive to the north. Delaware's beach resorts, including Lewes, Bethany, and Rehoboth, are only one hour's drive to the south. Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, DC are all within a two hour drive. 

Located just north of Dover you will find Smyrna. Smyrna began around 1700 as an English Quaker settlement called Duck Creek Village, one mile north of the current town. This area next to the Smyrna Landing was the center of commerce in the 1800s. Today, there are many beautiful examples of Federal and Victorian architecture throughout this northernmost town of Kent County. With the completion of the Route 1 Bypass, Smyrna is a fast growing area!

To the south of Dover you will find Camden. Camden was originally a Quaker settlement once called Piccadilly and Mifflin's Crossroads. Wyoming, which shares a common border to the west of Camden, was an important station for the Delaware Railroad system in the mid-19th century. Both towns played an important role in the Underground Railroad. These areas reflect their past with historic Federal Homes, which are scattered throughout these communities.

A typical Delaware small town, Magnolia was founded around 1845 on a tract of land that William Penn once set aside for the Duke of York.

North and South Bowers, located on the Delaware Bay are divided by the Murderkill River and are perfect examples of central Delaware's fishing communities.

Once known as Johnny Cake Landing, Frederica dates back to 1770 and the era when water was the main means of transportation between communities
Felton is home to Killens Pond, a beautiful wooded State Park and recreation area. Felton maintains its small town charm with an active Fire House famous for its fried oyster and chicken salad feasts, and old-style main street businesses.

Like many other towns along the north/south railroad now used by Conrail, Harrington began to grow in the 1860s as a junction point of the Delaware, Maryland and Virginia railroads.
Harrington is also the home of the annual Delaware State Fair, which takes place the third week in July. The Delaware State Fair is one of the largest events in the state. It begins the third week in July each year at the state fairgrounds in Harrington. This 80-year tradition brings nearly a quarter million Delawareans and visitors together to play, celebrate, and eat! The Fair offers nightly headline entertainment at the Harrington Raceway Grandstand. There are acres of carnival rides and games, livestock, poultry, and produce competitions, pig kissing contests, displays, children's shows, cooking contests, and lots more.

On a year round basis Harrington features Harness Racing and the Midway Slots. Midway features a buffet cabaret setting to enjoy musical performances and comedy shows in the Delaware State Fairgrounds Exhibit Hall next to the casino. Plans are in the works for an indoor ice skating rink.

Divided by the Mispillion River the northern part of Milford is in Kent County while the rest falls into Sussex County. In 1700, Parson Thorne established this community as a source of river transportation and shipbuilding.

Less than an hour south you will find the Delaware beaches featuring such towns as historic Lewes, Rehoboth Beach, Fenwick Island and Bethany Beach. There are many interesting shops and historic sites as well as state and private beaches for fishing, boating and bathing. There are many fine restaurants and evening entertainment spots.

Enjoy a stroll the ocean boardwalk in Rehoboth and enjoy the sights and sounds as well as the famous Dolly's salt-water taffy. And for the shoppers in the family and to fill those rainy days at the beach, don't miss the three outlet malls just north of Rehoboth on Rt. 1.

It is very doable to head to the beach after a weekend day of work around the yard to enjoy dinner or an entertaining evening people watching on the boardwalk or a walk on the beach and some good frozen yogurt. In the summer there are live concerts at the ocean front bandstands at some of the different locals. There is so much to do just as short drive away!  

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